This feisty guy is on the mend thanks to a few heroes.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Loudoun County Animal Services (LCAS) Officer Tina Hernandez arrived on the scene of an urgent after-hours call. Locals had spotted a bird tangled high in a tree, and it wasn’t just any bird — it was an adult bald eagle, caught by the wing in fishing line and dangling 25 feet above the ground.
Realizing she’d need assistance, Officer Hernandez called for backup. Soon, Chief Chris Brosan arrived with a ladder, tree trimmers, a net, and a blanket. The mission: to free the eagle without causing further distress or injury — a delicate task, made even harder by the fading light.
“Whenever we started going up the ladder to see if we could get near him, he started panicking,” Hernandez said.
In her 14 years on the job, most eagle rescues involved grounded birds, often sick or injured. This, she noted, was her first time rescuing one from the air. Carefully, Chief Brosan climbed the ladder and managed to cut the line. Below, Hernandez caught the eagle mid-fall in a net and quickly wrapped him in a blanket.
“He was too big for our big cat carriers,” Hernandez said. “We kind of just kept him covered. Even drained from the struggle, he was feisty — still very strong.”
Safely secured in one of LCAS’s specialized transport vehicles, the eagle was taken to Kristi’s Caring Hands Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education, run by wildlife rehabber Kristi Titus. He arrived lying on his stomach — exhausted and hurting.
Titus quickly examined him but realized he needed more intensive medical care. By morning, one of her best transporters was on the road to Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, where the eagle could receive the specialized treatment he required.
The center’s staff found that the bird’s wing was swollen and drooping severely. Even more concerning, blood tests revealed he was suffering from lead poisoning. They immediately started him on anti-inflammatories and chelation therapy to flush the toxins from his body.
Weeks later, the eagle is healing — his wing recovering and his strength returning.
Officer Hernandez continues to check in on the bird who, she says, feels like a neighbor now. When he’s finally strong enough to return to the wild, the plan is to release him back near the LCAS shelter, right where his story began.
“I think we’re going to make it a field trip for everybody,” Hernandez said with a smile.